The Rotterdam Eye Hospital, founded in 1874, is the only eye hospital in the Netherlands (population, 16 million), providing secondary eye care for the region and tertiary eye care for the whole country. As a major referral center, on a yearly basis it handles approximately 140.000 outpatient visits and 14.000 surgery cases.

Some 30 specialized ophthalmologists, 4 anesthesiologists, and 4 internists, not employed by the hospital, maintain their practices through a partnership within the hospital organiztion. The hospital, which has 400 employees and operates resident and fellow programs and a research institute, is a member of the American Association of Eye and Ear centers of Excellence and is the founding member of the European and World Association of Eye Hospitals.